Demons on the couch: Spirit Possession Exorcisms and the DSM-V by Michael J. Sersch
Reviewed by Todd Hayen
in IJRT Issue 31, 2020
Michael J. Sersch’s Demons on the Couch: Spirit Possession, Exorcisms and the DSM-5 is an immaculately researched and referenced treatise on possession and exorcism presented through the lens of modern psychotherapy and the DSM-5 (the diagnostic bible of the mental health field.)
Sersch states in his introduction:
In writing this book, I hope to answer why demonic possession has held a cultural fascination for over two millennia as well as how clinicians can successfully and ethically deal with patients who legitimately believe they are possessed by a spiritual force. There is also mounting evidence that integrating a patient/client’s worldview into clinical practice, including their spirituality and faith practices, increases their … Read the rest